The Next Beginning
by LovingNinja
Summary: Virginia and Wolf's children are starting to really understand just what it means for them to be of blood from both of the world of fantasy and the world of reality. As they are nearing adulthood, they have to make decisions as to where they truly belong. OT 16plus for adult themes.


**Hey ho! This will be the first time I've written up a 10th Kingdom fan fiction, even though I've thought about it for a few years. I hope you all are entertained, and PLEASE call me out if you feel that the characters are even a little out of character. I do not own anything save for the children of Wolf and Virginia, and Wendell and his Queen.**

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><p>It was the summer of 2014. Or, at least it was in the Tenth Kingdom.<p>

In the Fourth Kingdom, within the halls of the Palace of White, were the echoes of footsteps; hurried pitter-patters that were followed by giggles. Their tiny bodies accompanied by their elongated shadows as the sun passed through the glass windows. They turned a corner, and there their father stood.

King Wendell, dressed in his fine attire of white, held his hands upon his hips as he stared at the three children. The trio gasped, stopping themselves as the youngest two bumped into each other.

"Papa!" dressed in gold, the oldest Prince Kater; eleven; looked up with emerald eyes wide. His dull black curls bounced in their ponytail as he looked to his sisters; Princess Sadye and Princess Katherine. "We were just on our way to the throne room."

"It's true, Papa," dressed in blue, six year old Sadye hid behind her brother with bashful dark brown eyes, her own brown curls sashaying as she nodded in affirmation to her brother's statement.

"It's true," dressed in red, four year old Katherine parroted. Her large dark brown eyes looked to their father with innocence.

Wendell sighed, crouching down to be eye-level with the youngest as he placed a hand atop her shoulder-length wavy brown locks. "I believe you, children," he smiled. "I was on my way to get you so we could meet with Aunt Virginia. Anthony should be back with her and the cubs any minute now."

There was relief on the faces of the children of White, and the girls claimed either of their father's hands as Prince Kater walked along to his right; beside his sister Katherine.

Queen Rose; a beauty with wavy raven hair that cascaded down her back, and bright green eyes; stood before the thrones, already welcoming Virginia, Wolf, and their pups. Wolf had gotten his wish. Three girls and two boys. The youngest was the twins, Allyson and Jane; age ten. Identical with light skin, short wavy, dull brown hair, and large dark brown eyes. The Middle child was Emmeline; eleven, like Prince Kater; with sun-kissed skin, short blonde curls dancing about her ears, and eyes similar to her sisters'. The second born was Everard; twelve; his wavy hair as golden as Emmeline's but skin as light as the twins'. And, the eldest, Wolfgang; aged thirteen; pale as the moon he so loved with dull brown curls about his chin, his eyes hazel and narrow.

The White children were elated to see their step-cousins, and; with an encouraging nod from their father; scurried over with greetings. All the while the adults began their own salutations.

"It's so good to see you, Virginia," King Wendell embraced his step-sister with a soft grin before they pulled apart. He lifted her chin and shook his head. "I would think that with five wolf-brats you would have become withered, but you are still very beautiful."

"Hey, hey," Wolf placed a hand on his wife's shoulder, eyes flittering with a bright yellow for a split second as he looked to the other man. "Paws off, King Wendy."

"Wolf," Virginia tapped her mate on the shoulder, "you know he's just being royally polite."

"That _is_ true," Wendell admitted. "But, so is my observation. However," he looked to his queen with soft eyes before pulling her to his side, "Rosie is most definitely the fairest in these lands."

Just as Wolf was about to bark an argument on how Virginia was no doubt the fairest, the brunette woman gave him a look that he did not dare to defy. "Huff puff," he placed a kiss to Virginia's cheek before mumbling his growl, glancing to the children who were already making their way to the courtyard.

"Where's Anthony, by the way?" Wendell inquired, looking about the room with not a single trace of him.

"Dad ran off somewhere," Virginia sighed with a shrug. "Said there was a last minute meeting that came up so he had to hurry over there."

"Meeting? I wonder whatever for."

"You don't know about it?"

"Not an idea in the least."

Rose placed a hand on her husband's shoulder in comfort, "I'm sure it's just to go over a design they want to show you. You know how sometimes they want perfection before they bring anything up to you, Wendy."

"That is true," he waved his hand, dismissing the conversation. His eyes noticed there was no baggage so clearly his servants were on their toes as they were accustomed to the summer tradition of the Lewis family's visit. "Anyhow, why don't you get settled into your rooms and we can meet for lunch?"

"That's sounds nice," Virginia slipped a hand into the dark-haired man's beside her, "doesn't it, Wolf?"

"Oh," he looked to Virginia. "Yes," he looked to Wendell. "Tantalizing."

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><p>"Wait up, Wolfgang," Prince Kater cried as he hurried to catch up to his cousin; Everard and the girls following behind closely, with young Katherine in Everard's arms. They had already left the courtyard and were heading towards the trees. Usually, they weren't allowed to play in such an area, but right now that didn't seem to be a problem for the teenager who was already finding a tree to climb. "Wolfgang!"<p>

"Wolfie!" a voice chuckled, already up in the tree that Wolfgang was glancing up into, pausing on the first branch that hung low. It was a boy as pale as he, with straight dull blonde hair that hung past his shoulders, tied back with his bangs in his small dark brown eyes. His tunic was grey and trousers dirt, his feet protected by decaying boots that barely kept together even tied. "I was expectin' ya!"

"I could you smell you as soon as I stepped foot into the kingdom, Elijah," Wolfgang smirked. The young man of the Grimmes family was the same age as the oldest Lewis cub, and they had known each other for two years now since Elijah started working with the royal horses.

"Is that right?" he jumped down, almost landing on his friend who gave him a shove. He shoved once back with another laugh before he looked to the rest of the pack. "Wow, Shrimp, ya're gettin' big," He placed a flat hand beside the top of Everard's head, and the blonde boy smacked his hand away with a snarl, but Elijah wasn't fazed. He looked to the sisters and gave a simple wave; them waving back and Emmeline with pink in her cheeks.

"Hello, Elijah," she greeted.

"Hey, Emme," he nodded. His eyes looked her over. A black tunic with a grated silver heart wrapping around her left side, with pure red knit leggings and taupe colored scrunched up boots that buckled at the ankles. He crossed his arms, "Ya kids got some strange clothes over there in that kingdom of yours."

"Emmeline just doesn't have any style," Wolfgang quacked, earning a glare from his sister, but she said nothing.

Elijah looked to the twins, hand-in-hand as they stared at him shyly. "Oh, come on, ya two," he jabbed a finger towards the one on the right, "ya're…Allie," he pointed to the other," and ya're Janie."

The two girls looked to each other, smiled and giggled, "You're wrong, Elijah."

"Really?" he quirked a brow, snapping his fingers. "Darn it all. I thought I had it this time."

"Excuse me," Prince Kater cleared his throat. "Elijah, you haven't given your greeting to either my sisters or myself."

"Aw, lighten up, Katie," Elijah clapped a hand on the younger boy's shoulder. "I see your face every day. Kinda getting'sick of it actually."

"Elijah!" the young royal's cheeks burned red. He looked to his sisters, before grabbing their hands and walking back towards the courtyard. He called over his shoulder, "We're not supposed to be out this far anyway! You guys can have all the fun in the world with that jester!"

"Kater! Wait!" Everard called out. "We're following behind!" The blonde looked to his brother, who only shrugged with a roll of his eyes. Everard frowned before taking the hands of the twins and following Kater's example.

Elijah cackled, patting Wolfgang on the back and rubbing at an eye, "Who knew it would be so easy to get rid of the vermin?"

"Um, Wolfgang," Emmeline looked to the oldest pup nervously. "We really aren't supposed to be out this far, y'know."

"Oh, don't be such a stick in the mud, Emme. Let your tail loose. 'm sure it would be likin' to breathe from being kept in those tight pants of yours."

"If you want to go back, Emme, it's fine," the brunette sighed. "But, I'm gonna chill here with Eli."

Hesitantly, Emmeline took hold of her brother's hand, squeezing it and looking into his hazeled eyes, "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"What about Mom and Dad?"

"Tell them I'm with Eli," he shrugged. "We're going to be here all summer. Nobody's gonna miss me much this first day."

"What about dinner?"

"I'll smell it when it's cooking," he winked. He placed a quick kiss to Emmeline's forehead, "Go on. Make sure Everard doesn't hurt himself."

Unwillingly, the young female wolf relinquished her sibling's hand. Glancing up at Elijah, she sighed reluctantly. Waving to the two boys before turning on her heel and dashing to where her family disappeared to.

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><p>"Grampa!" the twins called out in unison, embracing their grandfather Tony for the second time that day. It was lunch and all were gathering around the expanded table; Wendell at one end and Rose at the other. On one side would be the eldest children; the other, Tony, Wolf, Virginia, and the two youngest royals.<p>

As they all took their seats, Tony led the two bright-eyed girls to theirs with a laughing grin. "I'm so sorry about running off like that," he mentioned towards Virginia. "Just before I went to fetch you guys, Neville burst through the door and started screaming about an emergency meeting." As Allyson and Jane made themselves comfortable upon the chairs, he placed a kiss on each of their cheeks before walking around to sit between Wendell and his daughter. Placing a kiss to her cheek as well.

"Who's Neville, Dad?" Virginia asked, brows furrowed as she thought she knew everyone he was working with. Then, again, she only saw him for a few months a year.

"He's a new kid," Tony shrugged. "Twenty-something, trying to learn the ropes; which is why he was so frantic earlier." He laughed, "It wasn't even that much of an emergency, I tell you. It could have waited until tomorrow."

The servant-men came out with trays ranging from potted shrimps with pickled cucumber to roast sirloin with puddings.

"Anyway, where's Wolfgang?"

"Oh, he's not too far," Wolf grinned mischievously. "I've still got his scent."

"He's with Elijah," Jane piped.

"The stable boy?" Wendell quirked a brow. "I didn't know they were friends."

"Perhaps because you were out often the last year or so, dear," Rose suggested. "You were in and out last spring and summer like a mad man. It's no wonder you weren't aware."

Virginia looked to her step-brother, raising a worried brow, "He's mentioned Elijah before. Is something wrong, Wendell?"

The king shook his head, "That boy is just a bit of a prankster, is all. He's not a bad kid, but he may not be the right kid for Wolfgang to mingle with."

"Huff puff," Wolf waved his hand, "Wolfgang has an excellent nose. He knows better."

"You say that, Wolf," Tony pointed a fork with meat at the end in the half-wolf's direction, "but trusting your kid to make the right decision isn't easy. Especially when they get into their teenage years, which Wolfgang is already thirteen." He took a bite, "Virginia was a handful once she got into her teens, and even after that, if you recall." He gestured to their surroundings, but it only made the adults chuckle.

"Well, I do take some blame in that," Wendell sifted through his food, eyes on his plate.

"Cripes," Wolf slid his palm down his face in exasperation. "It was destiny." He turned to Virginia, "It was nothing but us finding each other. That's what it was all leading to. Right? Everything that was meant to be came to be." Then he waggled a brow, "Though, I wouldn't have minded to see Virginia a little wild in her younger years."

"Just eat your meat, Wolf," his mate shook her head, trying not to smile at his shenanigans as she cut into her food. "Oh, right. Kids, what do we say?"

In unison, the four remaining Lewis children recited, "Thank you Uncle Wendell and Aunt Rose."

The King and Queen laughed, and Wendell looked to Virginia, "You really don't have to. I'm sure they're old enough by now."

Keeping her eyes on Allyson and Jane, she didn't hesitate to explain, "I need to keep these two in check. Lately they've been slipping off the wagon of manners."

"Look at their father," Tony scoffed teasingly, earning a rough sneeze of dissatisfaction from the wolf in question.

However, for one reason or another, what Wendell said earlier about Elijah was bothering Virginia. This was the first time that Wolfgang ventured out on his own and missed a meal. But, he was thirteen, now; a man, Wolf stated with pride. She wanted to give him some freedom from his leash, but something was unsettling. She just couldn't put her finger on it.

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><p><strong>To Be Continued...!<strong>

**Thank you for reading!**

**~LovingNinja~**


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